SC extends protection to Major Aditya in Shopian firing case

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the protection granted to Major Aditya Kumar in the Shopian firing case till August 21 while hearing a petition filed by Lieutenant Colonel Karamveer Singh, father of Major Aditya.

Lt. Col Karamveer Singh filed the petition to quash the Jammu and Kashmir police’s FIR against his son.

The petition was heard by a three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra. The major and his father refused to make any comments regarding the case.

In an earlier hearing, the Jammu and Kashmir government, in its affidavit, had stated that there was no bar for registering FIRs or initiating any investigation against Army personnel.

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The Jammu and Kashmir police registered an FIR against Major Aditya for his alleged involvement in the firing incident at Shopian on January 27, where three civilians were killed after Army personnel fired at a stone-pelting mob of protesters.

It had submitted to the apex court that Singh’s petition is not maintainable and should not be heard by the court. They also said that the petitioner, Singh, had no locus standi in the case and thereby his petition should not be heard.

Over 200 protesters pelted stones at the Army convoy, following which the Army personnel fired in self-defence.
Thereafter, the state police filed an FIR under sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the Major and his Army unit of 10 Garhwal Rifles.